Amu: Heart, Anger, and a Mirror
June 7th, 2007Originally posted on PassionForCinema Orwell’s prediction of the horrors of 1984 would seem mellow Off the surface, Kaju’s journey seems comparable to Amudha’s in Mani Be warned however that “Amu” is not devoid of its share of flaws. The minor technical glitches do not however distract too much, for Note: “Amu” won a National Award in India in 2005 for Best English A trailer can be viewed here: http://www.amuthefilm.com/trailer.htm
compared to what humanity really saw. In Delhi at least, thousands were
massacred, families destroyed forever, the scum of humanity exposed, as
justice still remains to be served. It’s a disgusting piece of our
history that our government, which still employs many of those directly
responsible, chooses to conveniently bury. In that context, it is of
utmost importance for us Indian’s to look at ourselves through our own
personal stories, to re-live the horror we allowed into our society,
and hopefully prevent that from happening in the future. “Amu” tells
one such personal story.
Kaju
(Konkona Sensharma) arrives in India, appearing to be the stereotypical
Indian-American in search of her roots, doing the rounds of the exotic
side of the country with her camcorder. Adopted at the age of three and
raised in Los Angeles by her foster mother (Brinda Karat), she embarks
on a journey to trace her past…to find her birth-parents. Along the
journey, she finds a friend in Kabir (Ankur Khanna), and together they
unearth a shocking secret that everyone seems to know about, but nobody
dares to speak of.
Ratnam’s “Kannathil Muthamittal”. However, it is the depth of
writer-director Shonali Bose’s characters, and the way she poignantly
unfolds the story within the context of the larger issue of the 1984
riots that makes “Amu” such a brilliant, and original piece of work.
The dialogs are very real conversations for the most part, the
performances superbly spontaneous, and the imagery captivating.
Shonali
Bose directs confidently with an articulate personal voice. The
environment she creates with her characters is immediately
identifiable, largely due to the wonderful performances she extracts
from them. Humor is very skillfully used in very subtle contexts
through the exposition. How much more can someone compliment Konkona
for completely absorbing characters with the dedication that she does?
As Kaju, she conveys the desperation of her curiosity so beautifully
that we can easily forgive minor flaws like the inconsistency in her
American accent. Brinda Karat and Ankur Khanna making their debut are
naturals, while Yashpal Sharma and Loveleen Mishra as the Dhaba-owning
couple steal the show more than once with their spontaneity.
The pacing can be a little demanding, though only through the first
act. Some of the cutting also works against the classical style of
storytelling that is employed through most of the film. It could do
with a little fine-tuning, for there are the occasional shots that see
the camera getting a bit unintentionally energetic, and even one which
in its tail, captures a cordoned off crowd watching the shoot from a
distance, albeit just for a split-second.
the story and characters are so powerful, one remains engaged
throughout the narrative. Shonali Bose speaks of the larger canvas
through a small and intimate story. When we get to know her characters
and feel for their loss, we understand the chilling terror and
devastation of the larger picture. The specific details and names of
those responsible for the riots are not focused on, because “Amu” never
pretends to be an expose or a detective story. The intent to make the
audience reflect on the past and each person’s personal role in that
past, however disconnected, is very clear. The film ends with news
breaking on television of a burnt train massacre in Godhra. And then
the camera patiently holds on a shot of a train as it passes by. By the
time the image fades out, we understand the argument that had we not
followed a tradition of burying the darker chapters of our past,
perhaps we could have prevented the bloody riots of Mumbai and Godhra.
Language Film. The film, which has already released in various cities
across Canada, released in New York in May, and opens in Los Angeles on
June 15.
